


Tree Trunks and Broken Peanut Butter Jars

by MaliciousSherlock5



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Love Confessions, M/M, Roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-28
Updated: 2013-03-28
Packaged: 2017-12-06 18:02:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/738535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaliciousSherlock5/pseuds/MaliciousSherlock5
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Today is the day Arthur Pendragon is going to tell Merlin how he feels about him. He swears.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tree Trunks and Broken Peanut Butter Jars

Today is the day he is going to tell Merlin that he loves him. Absolutely, 100 percent, today.

He picks up a bouquet and a box of Merlin's favorite cupcakes from that bakery on the other side of town. Arthur does care about Merlin, he's just shit at expressing it. No more of that, starting today. Arthur is going to walk into that nice new flat, and tell Merlin that he's just chuffed as chips to announce that he is head-over-heels in love with him. 

He accidentally leaves the flowers and cupcakes on the tube. Maybe tomorrow.

\--

The next day, Arthur makes plans to go to dinner with Merlin, and tell him over an ostentatiously expensive meal.

As soon as Arthur has done up his suit buttons, Merlin sends him a text, letting him know not to wait up on dinner, he's agreed to go to the pub with Gwaine after work.

Arthur is temporarily homicidal towards Gwaine, but resigns to tell Merlin tomorrow.

\--

The next day, Wednesday, Arthur makes Merlin a cup of tea and some toast for breakfast. He slips a notecard into Merlin's morning paper, detailing Arthur's romantic feelings towards Merlin. 

Thirty minutes after Merlin is supposed to be leaving for work, Arthur notices the note on the refrigerator. "GOING IN EARLY. SEE YOU TONIGHT. -M"

He groans, and is sure that fate is just fucking with him at this point. Tomorrow, for sure.

\--

Thursday is simple. Merlin gets home from work, and Arthur simply doesn't have the bollocks to say a word. 

Tomorrow. Merlin doesn't work on Fridays. Tomorrow.

\--

"I'm in love with you and it's ruining my life. "

Arthur stares at himself in the mirror.

A loud knock on the door pulls him out of his thoughts.

"Arthur? Are you alright?" Merlin asks through the door.

"Yeah, I'll be out in a sec!" Arthur calls back. He waits for the sound of Merlin's footsteps to fade away before he begins again.

"Merlin, I love you. Merlin Emrys, I am in love with you. Merlin, we should go out sometime. Emrys, buddy, pal, mate, you should let me get in your pants."

Arthur groans. This is just not going well. He looks down at his bare chest, and glances at his face. He's a good looking guy, right? Nice enough, funny, pretty clever. He should be a real catch.

Merlin should love him.

He should. He really should. Ask anyone. They're like Paul and John, Batman and Robin, Holmes and Watson, tea and biscuits, Simon and Garfunkel, Hall and Oates, salt and pepper! They just go together, and that's all there is to say about it. And today, Arthur is going to tell Merlin how he feels. He just has to step out of the bathroom, walk right up to Merlin, and tell that little Irish fucker that they are meant to be together, and that's just it. 

"That's right, Pendragon. You've got this. Tell him who's boss. Show him how great of a boyfriend you are." Arthur mutters, trying to regain his confidence. 

"Merlin Emrys, I'm in love with you, and you're in love with me too. So we're going to go out tonight, and I'm going to kiss you, and you're going to love it because I am great." 

Arthur wishes he could believe it.

Arthur gives himself a high-five via the mirror. He pulls on his jeans and a t-shirt, and musses his hair a bit. 

He straightens his back, and opens the bathroom door. 

"Merlin? Where are you?" He calls out into the flat.

"Sitting room!" Merlin calls back. 

Arthur strides into the sitting room like he owns the place (when technically he only owns half.)

"Yes?" Merlin asks, raising an eyebrow.

"I need to talk to you."

Merlin looks temporarily frightened. "Alright, what's up?"

"I'm in love with you, and it's a fucking issue."

Merlin's eyes go wide and he is completely stunned, it seems.

"No, it's a fucking debacle. Because everyone knows but you and we live together now, so I want to get that out there before I unpack my boxes. In case you either kick me out or you decide you want to share a room. I'd naturally prefer the second because Jesus fucking Christ, Merlin, you're so hot. Not that how hot you are is the reason I want to be with you. I mean, it helps, but you're also very funny and interesting and quirky but in a good way. When you're not being a complete moron."

Merlin looks like his eyes are going to pop out of his head. "I'm sorry, Arthur, I didn't quite catch that. What did you say?!"

"I am in a constant state of being in love with your dumb arse."

"Oh. So that is what you said?"

"Yes."

"I didn't imagine it?"

"No, Merlin."

"Oh."

And then Merlin's standing up and rushing to get his lips on Arthur's. Like he doesn't have enough time to do all of the things he wants to do. In this rush, he trips over his own feet, in a way that only Merlin does. And like some romantic comedy film (except not exactly, 'because what the actual fuck was that declaration of love', Arthur wonders) Arthur catches Merlin, who stumbles quite endearingly into his chest.

"Christ, Emrys. You can't do anything properly." Arthur whispers.

"Can it, Pendragon. I'm not the one with the scar from tripping over a twig." Merlin whispers back breathlessly.

"It was a tree trunk, you plebian. And you're the one with a scar from a broken peanut butter jar."

And then they're kissing like they'll never run out of breath, as if they had any to run out of in the first place. Arthur's got his fingers knotted in Merlin's dark locks, and Merlin is gripping Arthur's shoulders like he might fall over. When Merlin nips at Arthur's bottom lip, Arthur breaks the kiss.

"This isn't a pity snog, right?"

"No. I'm quite fond of you, Arthur Pendragon."

"How fond?"

"I'm at serious might-definitely-be-in-love levels of fond over here."

Arthur kisses Merlin like Arthur does everything else: it may take him some time, but when he gets there, he is unstoppable.

The boy with the scar from the tree trunk kisses the boy with the scar from the broken peanut butter jar like he wouldn't want to be doing anything else in the world.

And Merlin loves him for it.

**Author's Note:**

> I just really love pining Arthur.


End file.
